


This is what it is

by joeyjames (lilyandjoey)



Series: Tonks/Hermione 7 Spells [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Friendship, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-21
Updated: 2006-06-21
Packaged: 2017-10-15 20:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/164639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyandjoey/pseuds/joeyjames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes a friend can be a wonderful thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is what it is

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** the ballroom at midnight

Hermione sits alone at a table in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. A drink sits unfinished before her, leaving a sticky mark on the table. All around her, students are dancing. She watches them with a sad half smile on her face. Lavender and Parvati have ditched their dates in disgust and are swaying gently together in the middle of the ballroom. Lavender has her arms loosely round Parvati’s waist and is leaning her head on her best friends shoulder. Parvati’s arms are locked around Lavender’s neck, hands entwined in soft blonde hair. They look so peaceful and content. Hermione watches them and wishes wistfully that she could be where they are right now with Tonks.

Hermione blinks a little and refocuses. She becomes aware that she has been staring absentmindedly at her former roommates and hopes that no one has noticed. She looks around and sees Ernie giving her a wry smile. She smiles back, knowing that he understands and isn’t going to make a scene. He walks over to her and offers her his hand. She accepts and allows him to lead her onto the dance floor. After all, he is her date for the evening and it would be rude not to.

Avoiding the couples who are a little too intimate for the sake of public decency, they find a space. Hermione reaches up to put her arms around Ernie’s neck. He slips his arms around her waist and pulls her a little closer. They join in with the other couples, swaying softly to the music. Hermione relaxes slowly and leans on her date, just as Lavender is leaning on Parvati. Ernie strokes her hair gently. He knows that she isn’t thinking of him, but he doesn’t mind. It feels nice, having someone to hold, being held. It feels nice, having a date for a dance.

He, too, knows what is to be seeing someone with whom you cannot be seen.


End file.
